As much as I enjoy X100s, I'm still looking at A7 + Zeiss FE 35mm and/or 55mm as my general camera due to FF.

Have you looked into Sony A7 options for speedlite, wireless trigger (both manual and TTL), and studio strobe/strobist accessories? The options seem awfully restricted, and the latest Sony top-of-line speedlite Sony HVL F60M is reported often to have serious overheat issues.

Looking at my large collection of Canon-compatible speedlites/triggers/accessories and countless other options out there, this is the main thing that gives me pause when thinking about going the Sony A7/r route myself

If you look at my signature, I doubt you will see any flashes. I like primes, therefore, A7 fits me better. I'm waiting for Zeiss 55mm to be avaiable at local Sony store, so I can hand-on it. If the combo works out as I planned, half of Canon will be gone.

I'm slowly switching over FF mirrorless due to body size. Will keep the monster 300mm + 70-200 + 135L around with 5D III

I would be all for this same strategy except for the fact that the evf and af speed are still not where I need it to be on mirror less for me to do so. If only I had deeper pockets like yours Dylan, I would sport the Fuji for small, the canon for tele, and pick up the Sony for a trial run.

Can't wait for you to get your a7/z55 combo so I can hear of your findings and see some images.

Similar experience here. I used to own the 5D3 and Oly EM5. After 9 to 12 months of usage, I came to the following conclusions: (a) as much as the 5D3 AF impressed me, the camera was too heavy for me (b) even though the EM5 gave me some great images, I totally hated the EVF and ergonomics.

So, I dumped both cameras and replaced them with 6D and 70D. Couldn't be happier. Really enjoying my cameras again. I plan to use both cameras for the next 5 years at least. Will invest more in lenses. Hoping to see 50 f/1.8 IS and 16-50 f/4 IS from Canon soon.

So over the Thanksgiving weekend, I finally gathered the nerve to just let go of my 5D3 as I was offered a fair price for it. That, in conjunction with the deal for the 6D at $1400 pushed me into pulling the trigger on the swap out. Done and done.

Some things I'm struggling with, some not so much. Either way, I think the decision was the right one for me (for now).

Wondering if anyone else has given the same move some thought.

I haven't done exactly what you have done BUT I had the chance to shoot with a 5D3 for the day and now that I have, I won't buy one. I will keep my 7D.

The 5D3 is a great camera but not worth (at least to me) the $3400 price tag. After reading people's thoughts and reviews I was expecting a powerhouse of a camera, and it really wasn't. I just couldn't justify spending the money on it to upgrade. The 7D is a VERY fast camera and very hard to beat in that department. I shot BIF (birds, raptors exactly, in flight) with the 5D3 and got 10 times more blurry bird shots than I did with my 7D! (Yes I KNOW how to set up my camera for birds in flight, I am NOT new to this! Please don't waste your time telling me how I didn't know what I was doing... I always select the center point on AF and use AI Servo...) I was also using my own EF 70-300L on the 5D3. That lens is lighting fast on AF, so I know the fault wasn't with the lens.

I know a few people will say that I didn't give the 5D3 a chance to give it an honest opinion. Well, let me say this, I had (on loan) the 5D3 for a day and took well over 1000 photos AND was shooting with friends who OWNED the 5D3 and I was asking questions and they were gladly giving me pointers. By the time the day was over, I was so frustrated after shooting with it for a day and getting missed shot after missed shot. In contrast, when I upgraded from my 40D to my 7D, the transition was almost seamless. I had the 7D mostly figured out in just a few shots and was very happy with my decision. It was so much faster (in AF and fps) than my 40D that I was sorry I hadn't upgraded sooner! I learn more and more about it the more I shoot. Honestly? I had really been wanting a 5D3 so I know I was excited to give it a try. It just did not deliver enough goods to make me want to give up my 7D.

A few of my photography friends who upgraded to the 5D3 say that most of the time 5D2 did just as good of a job and in some cases the 5D2 was better.

I spoke with a good photography friend of mine after I used the 5D3 and told him that I still preferred my 7D over it. Before I tell you what he said, let me say that my friend Kenny is a published and very respected photographer and has owned and/or shot with just about every camera body Canon has ever made, including the 1DX and the 5D3, for starters. He has many friends at Canon and I have learned to respect his words of wisdom. He said to me, "Well, what did you expect? The 7D was designed for speed and the 5D3 was designed mainly for studio work and weddings like the 5D2 was. The 5D3 is a little faster and has better video than the 5D2 but it wasn't designed around speed. You shoot wildlife so the 7D is going to be perfect for that at a fraction of the cost!"

I couldn't argue with him...

The 5D3 may be a very fast full frame, but not as fast as the 7D. But again, that is my opinion. I used to own the 5D2 and let the ex-wife have it in the divorce, I wasn't super impressed with it either, outside of it's image quality. I shoot wildlife and the 7D is perfect for that.

So, I respect your decision to sell the 5D3 and get the 6D. I probably would have done the same.

D

« Last Edit: December 03, 2013, 10:39:41 PM by Richard8971 »

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Canon 6D, 5D2, 7Dv2.03, 50D, 40D, T1i, XTi...XT (& lenses, flahses), various powershots... You get the idea... I have a problem.

Wife shoots Nikon, D7000, D7100, (lenses and flashes)... we constantly tease each other that our cameras are better than each others!

So over the Thanksgiving weekend, I finally gathered the nerve to just let go of my 5D3 as I was offered a fair price for it. That, in conjunction with the deal for the 6D at $1400 pushed me into pulling the trigger on the swap out. Done and done.

Some things I'm struggling with, some not so much. Either way, I think the decision was the right one for me (for now).

Wondering if anyone else has given the same move some thought.

Yeah... Unthinkable... Rented 5D3 for 1 day just to know if I'm choosing the right camera, I'd say that for around 90% of what I shoot, I find the 6D adequate enough. My only problem with the 6D is it's AF is a slower and I tend to crop more when I shoot moving subjects since I can't almost trust the outer points. The center point is good enough. Another gripe that I have is the maximum flash sync is only 1/180. I was hoping for a faster flash sync.

Here's a shot at around ISO 800 and was pleasantly surprised on the absence of noise (well, almost) even at 100%. Taken with 100mm macro USM non-L.

@Jason - Definitely agree with you on your points about AF differences. I do realize the limitations relative to the 5D3. However, that is where the importance of self-assessment lies. I took a long, careful look at how often I was actually shooting in situations where I was tracking moving subjects and it was hardly ever. Most of the time, I am able to simply get away with following subjects on my own based on my shooting habits.

I looked at the 6D not from the standpoint of being a superior/inferior tool when compared to the 5D3, but as a different tool with different things to offer. There are obviously pros and cons to both tools with the 5D3 offering some things that I definitely will miss. However, at this point in my photog life, I just don't need those differences to accomplish what I need to accomplish. With that in mind, I set out to take back $1100 into the fund and still have a very capable Canon body to do what I need to do. And when the time comes, I will be back on the horse for the next pro level ff body (assuming it will provide a marked increase in IQ relative to the current ff offerings).

Also, to detail the financial aspect of the decision. Based on the locale I'm in and the used gear CL market, I will be able to sell the 6D much more quickly simply due to the price range when the time does come to get a different updated body. For now though, suffice to say that I would rather have the money piled up in waiting and a 6D that will serve me well enough for my needs.

Also, re the flash sync speed. The 5D3 is not any better at 1/200 which is nothing in real world usage relative to 1/180. That is definitely something that I took note of as well. However, If I ever need anything in that range or above, I'm using HSS anyway so it was a wash in my view.

So over the Thanksgiving weekend, I finally gathered the nerve to just let go of my 5D3 as I was offered a fair price for it. That, in conjunction with the deal for the 6D at $1400 pushed me into pulling the trigger on the swap out. Done and done.

Some things I'm struggling with, some not so much. Either way, I think the decision was the right one for me (for now).

Wondering if anyone else has given the same move some thought.

Bravo! I took a less costly route and just bought the 6D to begin with, having tried my cousin's 5D3 a few times.

John, just keep in mind, that in the eyes of the 5D3 lovers, you are no longer a serious photographer. You have taken a step down in your photographic station in life!

That's never meant much to me one way or the other. What matters to me is being able to make the images I want the way I want them (and more easily when possible).

I will miss the 5D3, but the 6D is enough to get it done for the time being. One of the big motivations for this swap is to have more money ready in prep for canon's next potentially high end full frame offering.

Oh I see. Well every little bit helps, but I have a feeling that beast is going to be $9000 or more. A few hundred, or even a thousand bucks, is not a lot of money by comparison. You're best off paying for it over time. The problem is, Adorama and B&H are fond of only giving you 6 months to pay, no interest. By contrast, Amazon will give you up to 24 months, or even more to pay (at least if it's a tv, haha!) Not sure how long they'll give you to pay for a 1 series body that costs that much, though. Might be difficult to get a line of credit large enough with the Amazon card, but I suppose it's possible. You might need over $200k in annual income or something, in which case just paying cash for it might make more sense.

So over the Thanksgiving weekend, I finally gathered the nerve to just let go of my 5D3 as I was offered a fair price for it. That, in conjunction with the deal for the 6D at $1400 pushed me into pulling the trigger on the swap out. Done and done.

Some things I'm struggling with, some not so much. Either way, I think the decision was the right one for me (for now).

Wondering if anyone else has given the same move some thought.

Bravo! I took a less costly route and just bought the 6D to begin with, having tried my cousin's 5D3 a few times.

John, just keep in mind, that in the eyes of the 5D3 lovers, you are no longer a serious photographer. You have taken a step down in your photographic station in life!

That's never meant much to me one way or the other. What matters to me is being able to make the images I want the way I want them (and more easily when possible).

I will miss the 5D3, but the 6D is enough to get it done for the time being. One of the big motivations for this swap is to have more money ready in prep for canon's next potentially high end full frame offering.

Oh I see. Well every little bit helps, but I have a feeling that beast is going to be $9000 or more. A few hundred, or even a thousand bucks, is not a lot of money by comparison. You're best off paying for it over time. The problem is, Adorama and B&H are fond of only giving you 6 months to pay, no interest. By contrast, Amazon will give you up to 24 months, or even more to pay (at least if it's a tv, haha!) Not sure how long they'll give you to pay for a 1 series body that costs that much, though. Might be difficult to get a line of credit large enough with the Amazon card, but I suppose it's possible. You might need over $200k in annual income or something, in which case just paying cash for it might make more sense.

I anticipate that it will definitely be at least in the 6k range and would not be all that shocked if it were higher as you have stated. I'm already at roughly 3k with all the moves I have made recently. Looking at dumping three or four more lenses which should put me between 6-7k which will have me all set Oh, not to mention I will also be dumping the 6D at that time for hopefully another thousand'ish.

So over the Thanksgiving weekend, I finally gathered the nerve to just let go of my 5D3 as I was offered a fair price for it. That, in conjunction with the deal for the 6D at $1400 pushed me into pulling the trigger on the swap out. Done and done.

Some things I'm struggling with, some not so much. Either way, I think the decision was the right one for me (for now).

Wondering if anyone else has given the same move some thought.

Bravo! I took a less costly route and just bought the 6D to begin with, having tried my cousin's 5D3 a few times.

John, just keep in mind, that in the eyes of the 5D3 lovers, you are no longer a serious photographer. You have taken a step down in your photographic station in life!

That's never meant much to me one way or the other. What matters to me is being able to make the images I want the way I want them (and more easily when possible).

I will miss the 5D3, but the 6D is enough to get it done for the time being. One of the big motivations for this swap is to have more money ready in prep for canon's next potentially high end full frame offering.

Oh I see. Well every little bit helps, but I have a feeling that beast is going to be $9000 or more. A few hundred, or even a thousand bucks, is not a lot of money by comparison. You're best off paying for it over time. The problem is, Adorama and B&H are fond of only giving you 6 months to pay, no interest. By contrast, Amazon will give you up to 24 months, or even more to pay (at least if it's a tv, haha!) Not sure how long they'll give you to pay for a 1 series body that costs that much, though. Might be difficult to get a line of credit large enough with the Amazon card, but I suppose it's possible. You might need over $200k in annual income or something, in which case just paying cash for it might make more sense.

I anticipate that it will definitely be at least in the 6k range and would not be all that shocked if it were higher as you have stated. I'm already at roughly 3k with all the moves I have made recently. Looking at dumping three or four more lenses which should put me between 6-7k which will have me all set Oh, not to mention I will also be dumping the 6D at that time for hopefully another thousand'ish.

Up until I finished reading all the responses to your change, I would have thought it was unthinkable and not a good choice. I'm sure you may never look back and regret your decision especially since you now have cash in your camera account for the 5D IV or 7D II. Whatever it is you will be ready. You will advance your skills with the 6D and take some really nice pics in the mean time. Who knows - Maybe the replacement for the 1DX? Keep saving. LOL

i don't doubt your decision. The 5D3 is a great camera for what it is..but it is also not a fantastic camera for everything.For sports and birding, i still think the7D is hard to beat if you can't afford a 1DX.For portraiture, the 5D3 is not bad but the 6D can do better.For a regular walkabout, the 5D3 is too heavy.To me, the 5D3 is a fantastic wedding camera and that's what it was made to do if you ask me.The downside of the 6D is the AF points, there's just not enough.But it is also not always that you will need those AF points like the 5D3..Prices of 5D3 are falling as we speak so it's a good time to sell now before they fall too low..That's why i yself juped at the chance of selling away mine.It was really a jack of all trades but master of none (other than weddings) and it was just too darn heavy to carry around daily or even on vacations.

So over the Thanksgiving weekend, I finally gathered the nerve to just let go of my 5D3 as I was offered a fair price for it. That, in conjunction with the deal for the 6D at $1400 pushed me into pulling the trigger on the swap out. Done and done.

Some things I'm struggling with, some not so much. Either way, I think the decision was the right one for me (for now).

Wondering if anyone else has given the same move some thought.

great then, I did something similar sold my D800 and D800E and got 6D + A7R.

PS. the tiny Sony is a great camera and can even take my NEX7 glass albeit the 1.5x crop mode.it also takes all my Canon Nikon lenses via adapters, I use SB s3 and that actually even allows my A7R to AF with my EF lenses.That said , as already a few people pointed out the flash system of this system is really bad ,I often use my old Sony FM43a flash but it does not work on this one very well.And the 36mp sensor is good in very good light or on tripod but not good at all for lowlight handheld work , so I might downgrade it to the A7.finally, the Sony 35mm f2.8ZA is an amazing lens , sharp across the FF but it is a bit too dim for walk around at night.the 55mm f1.8ZA is outstanding , but it is not my FL, so I will not get any more Sony native mount lenses but use my Leica R , Zeiss ZE /ZF and ZM mount lenses.

So, any of you really interested in downsizing your Canon FF5D ,just try Alpha 7 + Speed Booster S3 adapter first and if you like it , get a Sony native glass.